Much of the strain of the Strategic Defence Review will fall on the Royal Air
Force.

The RAF’s manpower is set to be cut by 5,000 to 33,000 by 2015, and the “iconic” Harrier jump-jet will be withdrawn from service next year.

Three bases, including RAF Kinloss in Moray, Scotland, will no long be used by the RAF, although one or more may be retained by the MoD for the use of the Army.

In addition, the Nimrod MRA4 reconnaissance programme is set to be scrapped and the VC10 and TriStar aircraft, both of which are considered to have reached their sell-by date, will be withdrawn from service over the next few years.

Following intense lobbying from service chiefs, Tornado fast jets are to be retained as part of a “future fast jet force” of Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.

Labour had originally ordered 138 JSF for the use of the RAF and Royal Navy – this consignment is thought to be on course to be reduced to as low as 38 for the two forces. They will be capable of take-off and landing from aircraft carriers.

The work horse C-130 Hercules transport fleet, which has seen regular service in Afghanistan and Iraq, will be withdrawn from service 10 years earlier than expected.

It is the only military aircraft to remain in continuous production for 50 years, and will be replaced by 22 new A400M aircraft and 14 Airbus A330s. Both are capable of providing air-to-air refuelling.

The Government has also committed to buying 12 new Chinook heavy-left helicopters.

Ministers insisted that the RAF would be able to provide “air defence of the UK and South Atlantic Overseas Territories” up until 2020.

Liam Fox, the Defence Secretary, said: “The point is, does Britain have the ability to use air power where we require it in defence of our national interests, wherever they are? At the moment, the answer is yes.

“Can I guarantee that we will be able to do that in 20 to 30 years? The answer is no.”

Two former First Sea Lords, Admiral Lord West, who served as a minister in Gordon Brown’s government, and Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, had recently warned that the absence of fighter jets would make it impossible to retake the Falklands if Argentina launched another invasion.

But Dr Fox said: “They are defended by our deterrence, by having Typhoon aircraft, because we have submarine capabilities, because we have far greater military capabilities than Argentina.”

In the Commons, David Cameron also insisted that the operation in Afghanistan would not be affected by the cuts.

During the negotiations in the run up to the Strategic Defence Review, senior figures in the RAF had been keen to secure to future of the Tornado, and had been prepared to sacrifice the Harrier to achieve it.

The Review said: “Retaining the Tornado fleet allows a fast jet contribution to be sustained in Afghanistan and support to concurrent operations which would not have been possible if Harrier was retained instead.”

While the RAF will lose three bases, there is speculation that one or more of the sites could be retained for the use of the Army, with new homes needed for troops redeploying from Germany.

As well as RAF Kinloss, there is speculation that nearby RAF Lossiemouth, home to the Tornado, could also go.

The Scottish National Party has warned that thousands of specialist jobs in the region will be lost as a result of the scrapping of the Nimrod at Kinross.

Around 16 per cent of employment in the region is said to be linked to the bases.